Lee Rigby and Manchester Arena bombing memorial ride

Date published: 01 September 2020

More than 100 bikers came together at Rochdale Town Hall on Sunday 30 August, to remember Fusilier Lee Rigby and the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena bombing.

A minutes’ silence was held at Rochdale Cenotaph, the Lee Rigby memorial at Middleton Memorial Gardens and at Victoria Station in Manchester.

An annual ride usually takes place on the Saturday in May closest to the anniversary of the fusilier’s death, but this was cancelled earlier this year due to the pandemic.

Attendee Paul Whitaker said: “It couldn’t be forgotten.”

Gavin Vitler, who has organised the previous ride events, added: “They stuck to social distancing and had a good ride. Well done all who went out.”

25-year-old Fusilier Rigby, of Middleton, was stabbed to death while off duty outside the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south London on 22 May 2013.

His killers, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, were sentenced to life in prison in December 2013 after they were found guilty of his murder.

The Manchester bombing took place on the fourth anniversary of Lee’s death, 22 May 2017, killing 22 innocent people at the Manchester Arena after an Ariana Grande concert.  Almost 1,000 members of the public were injured in the terrorist attack.

Salman Abedi, who detonated the bomb, died in the explosion. His conspirator brother Hashem was jailed last month for a minimum of 55 years after being found guilty of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion likely to endanger life.

The memorial ride will return next year on Saturday 22 May 2021, the eighth anniversary of Lee’s death, and the fourth anniversary of the bombing.